Natural
by Lillipop265
Summary: Hermione can't sleep after the war but Ron is there for her.


**A/N: I think I'm getting back into this writing lark.**

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><p>It had been three days since the war, three days since it was all over. The Weasleys had returned to the Burrow that day. Harry and Hermione had gone with them, they were family too after all. Besides, neither of them had anywhere else to go. The house felt wrong without Fred, empty somehow. No one had seen George since they had arrived, he had gone straight to his room, they heard the crying but they left him in peace.<p>

Hermione was out in the garden, head in her hands. Exhausted but afraid of the dreams. She hugged her knees to her chest, rubbed her eyes with efforts to keep them open. The air was so quiet; it reminded her of those nights she had kept watch outside the tent. So much had changed, so quickly. It was just over a week ago when running had been her life, when sitting outside meant she was still constantly on edge. It had not been long ago that she could not sleep because of what she might miss in reality rather than what she might encounter hiding in her subconscious. At least awake she was keeping her friends safe. Now, they were all safe. It was a relief, but it made her feel lost. What was she supposed to do now? She wanted to rest but she just couldn't.

"Can't sleep?"

Hermione whipped around, sudden noises that broke the night still startled her. She hadn't yet trained her reactions into knowing there was no danger. Ron noticed he had startled her.

"Sorry," he looked awkward stood there. He shuffled his feet, ran his hand through his hair in a manner that he only adopted when he was uncomfortable. He looked as tired as Hermione felt.

"Haven't tried," she admitted. She patted the ground beside her, gesturing for him to join her.

"Me neither," he said as he walked over.

"Why not?"

He shrugged in response, unwilling to tell the truth even after all they had been through. He didn't want her to know he was hurting. In truth, the only times he had tried to sleep after Malfoy Manor he had woken up with her screams echoing in his ears. He didn't want to experience that again. He found it much better to be exhausted and with her, to see her living and breathing than to fear for her life. He was also scared of what her answer would be, what was keeping her awake, so he didn't ask.

"Are you OK?" He asked that question instead. It seemed ridiculous that he could question something so simple after all that they had been through. He knew the answer deep down, how could she be OK after all that they had been through? How could anyone be OK when they had lost so much? He certainly wasn't.

"I will be." It was the best result he could have hoped for. Hermione stretched he legs out before her, leaning back on her hands. She sighed out into the night sky.

Ron reached out on instinct; he laid his hand over hers before he had a chance to think about what he was doing. He was surprised to find hers warm, despite them cool air.

Hermione bit back her gasp at this action. But she did not bite back her smile. She could feel his eyes upon her, gauging her reaction now that he realised there was no going back. A blush crept up on her checks, she felt watched. She experienced a slight urge to just turn her head away but she didn't. She found that Gryffindor courage. She turned to face him.

He seemed as shocked by her actions as she was. But there was Gryffindor courage burning through him too. She could see the fire in his eyes, he was getting closer.

He moved towards her slowly, this time he wanted to give her a chance to change her mind. He still thought that the first time may have been a fluke, the heat of the moment. He was taking a risk.

She could feel his breath on her face, short and quick: nervous. He could see her every eyelash, almost feel them against him. Their noses touched first, sliding past each other as their heads tilted naturally. She smiled, Their lips connected.

The kiss was much slower than their first, both of them savouring the moment. Hermione's lips felt like they were on fire, she'd felt nothing like it. Not even their first kiss had been this good, it had been fiery and passionate but this one was sweet. This one was definite. This one carried promise.

Ron's heart was beating so fast in his chest that he didn't know how he was containing it. He never wanted to stop. He wanted to feel his Hermione against him for as long as possible. He never wanted to forget how soft her lips were. He felt on top of the world. He had her now, nothing else mattered. They had made it, together.

They were forced to break apart for air but their foreheads stayed connected, their breath mingling in the tiny space between them. Hermione laughed, he made her feel so carefree and happy. And she would cling to that happiness for as long as she could. He smiled, she made him forget all the bad, she was the good in his life, the one thing that made everything better.

She leaned her head onto his shoulder as he slid his arm around her shoulders. It all felt so natural, so automatic. They had struggled through so much together but it was love that had kept them fighting. Love had pulled them through it all and they were the proof that it could triumph over evil.

Ron leaned his head down, placed a fleeting kiss on Hermione's forehead. He squeezed her shoulder and she allowed herself to be pulled closed to him because after waiting for so long being together seemed like the most natural thing in the world.

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><p><strong>AN: So, there you go. Sorry for the fact that it's all unbeta-ed and what not. Reviews are very much appreciated.**


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